Phrontis tiarula, common name the western mud nassa, is a species of small sea snail with gills and an operculum, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Nassariidae, the nassa mud snails or dog whelks.

Description

The length of the shell varies between 9mm and 20mm.

Distribution

This species occurs in the Pacific Ocean from California to Mexico.

Feeding habits

These snails are exclusively scavengers.

References

• Dautzenberg, Ph. (1929). Contribution à l'étude de la faune de Madagascar: Mollusca marina testacea. Faune des colonies françaises, III(fasc. 4). Société d'Editions géographiques, maritimes et coloniales: Paris. 321–636, plates IV-VII pp.

• Cernohorsky W. O. (1984). Systematics of the family Nassariidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum 14: 1–356.

• Turgeon, D.; Quinn, J.F.; Bogan, A.E.; Coan, E.V.; Hochberg, F.G.; Lyons, W.G.; Mikkelsen, P.M.; Neves, R.J.; Roper, C.F.E.; Rosenberg, G.; Roth, B.; Scheltema, A.; Thompson, F.G.; Vecchione, M.; Williams, J.D. (1998). Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: mollusks. 2nd ed. American Fisheries Society Special Publication, 26. American Fisheries Society: Bethesda, MD (USA). . IX, 526 + cd-rom pp. page(s): 97

External links

• Kiener L.C. (1834-1841). Spécies général et iconographie des coquilles vivantes. Vol. 9. Famille des Purpurifères. Deuxième partie. Genres Colombelle, (Columbella), Lamarck, pp. 1-63

• Reeve, L. A. (1853-1854). Monograph of the genus Nassa. In: Conchologia Iconica, or, illustrations of the shells of molluscous animals, vol. 9, pls 1-29 and unpaginated text. L. Reeve & Co., London.